Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-11-25
no. A..

. nleSHeu una innocent anu colndng IKE.
When NJ. Alexis met Miss Mcbiddie that
evening, he touched her glovcd finger TIPS
| with his lips Almeria gave little gasp.
half surprise, half pleasure Her confu-
sion was manifest, and he noticed it, For
| give me, he said. 1T was only Russian
custom expressive of heartfelt gratitude |
am like a child, and cannot repress my feel
ings IL will be such happiness for me to
see this new land under delightful auspices "
That night Almeria had more dreams
She was fairly prudent young woman,
not yet twenty eight If it were con
quest she had made, she had no fancy to
exhibit her triumph, and Monsieur Alexis,
though he had been rather demonstrative
just once-showed no further sign of ex-
ultation.
They had a great deal to say to one an
other. The weather was pleasant the moon
at her full, and Almeria was happier than
she had ever been in her life before. 1t
would be ON the cars that NJ. Alexis would
tell the whole story Of his life. OF course
such man as that, a man evidently of the
world, would have to he forgiven for his
faults. He was free he had told that
plainly enough but then she would not be
quite satisfied with that and the colonel,
who was shrewd, would make further in
quiries but if she loved him, and she felt
as if she did, she would be a wretched wom-
an if matters turned out not so ruseate as
she hoped for. Yet the recital, the acting
of her romance, might take place as the
two were speeding over the monotonous
prairies.
NJ Alexis had never looked brighter,
more elegant, than when the steamer was
near the dock 81 am such an infant, my
dear colonel that put myself entirely un-
der your charge, he said with a pleasant
smile
Then Miss McBiddie laughed, and made
cunning remark that he was a fairly we'll
grown baby to be hauled around in leading
strings. But" she added, ''if he was
real good, not troublesome, and did not
bother with too many questions, she would
take him and her father that night to the
theatre. That should be his first sight-see-
ing in New York. You see, the opera at
Denver and New York may not be as good as
in Paris or London, but it satisfies US Then
Almeria tried to remember in which of her
four trunks had been packed her finest
dress, and wondered if the custom-house
people would delay her much, and the
probabilities of her wearing her lovely silk
that very night.
Il have little curiosity" said NJ. Alexis,
'about New York, and care nothing for
huge cities, for they all wear IA family re
semblance. The bigger they grow, the
more marked the likeness shall like
Denver far better than New York. Now |
must 20 down to my room, and will come
up again in a moment, and | will etface my
individuality would little duckling un-
der the protecting wing of its parents"
Then the colonel, who had gone to the
ships side. called his daughter. "Almery,"
he said, with glee, Its awful kind &; there's
a whole Colorado deputation ON the dock
awaiting for us And the colonel waved
his handkerchief, as did his daughter.
1t was all done in second, though the
arrangements necessary to bring about the
climax had been under careful preparation
for fully sixty days beforehand Off quar-
antine ground, alongside of the visiting
doctor, there had come on board of the
steamer a man who looked neither hard
nor rough only determined. The captain
of the steamer he did not even nod to, but
he at once sought out the ships surgeon,
and said few words to him The waiter
had M. Alexiss bag and satchel and Mon
sieur had just fitted on his gloves, when
hand was clapped on his shoulder, and the
determined looking man said, in a low
voice, which Monsieur Alexis heard dis
tlnctly, though steam was roaring through
the escape-pipe, Il arrest you"
why !" inquired NJ. Alexis, without
even quaking.
Don't make any bother, but come qui-
etly along. Your game is played. No use
of my going over it all. Here is my war
rant. Don't say anything. l don't want
you to commit yourself. You understand
English perfectly. | have a carriage ready
for you. 1t saves trouble
II will come quietly, but only providing
you do this for me. You see that stout old
gentleman and that thin young lady l
don't want them to see me-
In my company Is that all don't
mind obliging you, and l really rather like
not having fuss Here, Bill :" and on
this some one answering to the name of
Bill approached. See that fat Western
party ashaking his handkerchief, and that
lady Just you hail them. Tell them you
are a custom house man. Halt 'em. We
don't want neither of us to be spotted
Now, my man, these bracelets ought to fit
snug. l shan't crumple your cuffs. Oh,
see you know-slinging your overcoat over
your arms quite shuts out the whole bust
ness from a curious public
So Alexis went, and excepting the ships
surgeon, no one knew anything about it.
The Melodies were on the dock a long
time, and they waited At the hotel Mr.
McBiddie watched the register NJ. Alexis
had been given the address. Ceaselessly
Almeria sent down walters to the clerk, to
her father, for news of the lost gentleman.
She would not look at the papers so as to
select the theatre where she might spend
her evening. She was i'll with anxiety.
The colonel was merciful. He could not
tell her what he had read in the morning
prints of the next day. 1t was worse than
had Monsieur Alexis been found drowned
in the East river. There it all was, the ar
rest of the most perfect rascal Europe had
ever produced If Vautrin represented
crime with all the char -oscuro of a meZ2o-
tint, NJ. Alexis was as sharp and incisive as
an etching. 1t had been murder and rob
berry in Vienna, and when Monsieur Alex
ISIS arrest was flashed across the ocean,
chiefs of police departments in various
headquarters in far-distant cities chuckled,
and were very good -natured to their sub
ordinates for fully twenty four hours Al
meria McBidde to this day wonders and
wonders over the fate of Alexis. She has
some fantastic theory of her
own, how Alexis was spirited away by the
myrmidons of Russia, and now langushes
in a Siberian steppe. She is true to his
and has enshrined in her heart
the man who, had he the least chance,
would have cut her throat.
As to Alexis, there were no palliating
and between "the arrest"
and the execution the time was short.